In a world filled with conflict and division, how we show up in our relationships can shape our connections and personal growth.

Today, I’m joined by Dr. Jonathan Marion, a former anthropology professor turned somatic coach, to explore the profound impact of somatic awareness, intentionality, and compassion in our interactions.

Stay tuned and discover how focusing on how we engage, rather than just what we do, can foster meaningful change in ourselves and those around us.

In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Marion takes us through:

- The importance of compassion and responsibility in personal relationships.

- The impact of global conflicts on personal connections.

- Focusing on how we engage in relationships to foster presence and intentionality.

- The power of somatic awareness and how the body holds past experiences.

- The practice of "future casting" for more conscious responses.

- His transition from psychology to anthropology and its influence on his work.

- The relationship between body, identity, culture, and somatic practices.

- Moving beyond Western frameworks for a holistic mind-body approach.

And so much more!

Dr. Jonathan Marion is a transformational life coach, consultant, and speaker who helps all kinds of accomplished professionals find fulfillment in their lives. Jonathan believes that when we live, connect, and communicate authentically, we create a ripple effect that turns the world into a more caring and connected place.

He draws on decades of experience teaching diverse audiences and is trained in Emotional Intelligence, Group Coaching, Positive Psychology Coaching, Clear Beliefs Coaching, and Somatic Coaching. His mission is to be a catalyst for transformation, supporting his clients and audiences as they transcend external accomplishments as measures for success and lead more rewarding, meaningful lives.

Links for Jonathan Marion:

For more about Jonathan and his coaching services: www.stepsalongtheway.global

For his dance teaching: www.zoukislife.com

For complimentary Your Next Step Chat: www.stepstochat.com

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

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Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠⁠ ⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠.⁠⁠

Chronic pain and physical limitations can feel unchangeable, but what if the body and mind had the power to heal beyond expectation?

Today, Emily Rieker shares her remarkable journey of overcoming a seven-year struggle with dystonia through Hannah Somatic's practice. Emily not only regained function in her hand but experienced profound transformations in her overall well-being.

Her story demonstrates the remarkable capacity of the nervous system to change and heal, even after years of apparent "stuckness." Listen to discover how embracing body-mind awareness can unlock new levels of freedom and healing.

In this episode, Emily Rieker shares:

- Her seven-year journey with dystonia and how she regained function.

- The mind-body connection’s role in physical and emotional healing.

- The unexpected benefits of somatic work, like improved relationships.

- Challenges with traditional medical approaches and misdiagnosis.

- How viewing the body as a dynamic system aids holistic healing.

- How physical improvements extend beyond hand function to whole-body mobility and tension release.

- Encouragement to explore the potential for personal transformation through somatic movement.

And so much more!

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠ ⁠⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠.⁠⁠

Burnout—it’s a silent epidemic, especially among healthcare professionals. But what if healing from burnout is truly resolved by tuning into the wisdom of your own body?

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Dr. Jeffrey Carter, a healthcare professional who has experienced burnout firsthand.

He uncovers how perfectionism, high-stress environments, and workaholic tendencies can lead to burnout and, more importantly, how somatic healing can offer a path to recovery and reclaiming balance in life.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Carter takes us through:

- His personal experience with burnout and how it impacts different professions.

- The link between healthcare stress, exhaustion, and burnout.

- How burnout affects relationships and daily interactions.

- His early life struggles with perfectionism and achievement.

- The dangers of using work as a form of escape/numbing mechanism.

- The importance of somatic practices to release tension and heal.

- How self-awareness and taking responsibility can help manage burnout.

- How support systems are crucial for healing.

And so much more!

Dr. Jeffrey Carter, MD, is a practicing Trauma Surgeon, Critical Care Doctor, and Integrative Medicine Specialist.

After four years of medical school and eight years of training in Trauma Surgery, Dr. Carter experienced physician burnout during his early thirties, and his health suffered as a result. He initially sought help through the traditional avenues with some success, but still, something was missing.

Ultimately, Dr. Carter dedicated himself to becoming healthy and found power in holistic therapies, which led him to study Integrative Medicine at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He became a Fellow of Integrative Medicine in 2023.

Dr. Carter believes in partnering with his patients in patient-centered care. This relational doctor-patient relationship produces the best outcomes. He is a Gold Humanism Society Inductee and has contributed to many publications, presentations, posters, and book chapters.

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠ ⁠www.freeyoursoma.com.⁠⁠

Ever wonder if your sexual fantasies hold more meaning than just desire?

Today, I dive into the connection between sexual fantasies and personal wisdom with guest Artemisia de Vine, a sexual fantasy expert as well as former sex worker and dominatrix.

We explore how fantasies can unlock deeper insights into our true selves, transforming both our relationships and our understanding of life’s beauty and joy.

In this podcast episode, Artemisia explores:

- How sexual fantasies can be a source of wisdom and deeper self-understanding

- How fantasies are symbolic stories, not meant to be taken literally

- How fantasies help resolve internal conflicts around sex and intimacy

- Fantasies often facilitate movement from separation to connection

- Three main paradoxes: self vs. self, self vs. lover, and self vs. community

- Why desire shouldn't be suppressed but understood for its insights

- Safe exploration through consensual play with a partner

- "The deVinery Method" and how it helps people understand their erotic psyche

- Integrating mind and body leads to more holistic experiences

- Desire is "genius," and how learning to interpret it accesses its wisdom safely

And so much more!

Artemisia de Vine is a sexual Fantasy expert who teaches the world's leading sexperts the meaning of our sexual fantasies, and how to bring them out of our heads and into our beds! Author of upcoming book: The Spirituality of Smut: The surprising wisdom of sexual fantasies.

Certified somatic sexologist, BA in anthropology, and former sex worker and professional dominatrix.

Offering a groundbreaking new theory! Understand how stories work, and you understand why we have sexual fantasies - and how to create powerful, real-life transformative sexperiences that satisfy the real desire behind the story symbolism.

Links:

Celeb Swoon Technique free mini course - MyFantasyIs.com

Work with Artemisia de Vine: artemisiadevine.com

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠ ⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠

Did you know that your emotions are not just feelings but powerful messengers guiding you toward deeper self-awareness?

In today’s episode, I have invited Julie Lucas, an I-Rest and Yoga-Nidra instructor, to explore the transformative journey of connecting with our inner resources.

Stay tuned to discover how embracing the full spectrum of emotions can lead to greater awareness, ease, and lightness in your life.

In this podcast episode, Julie takes us through:

- Julie's transition from analytical footwear designer to Yoga Nidra practitioner.

- Interoception: learning to feel the body from the inside out.

- Treating emotions as messengers to convey inner state rather than obstacles.

- The journey of self-discovery: from feeling stuck to achieving awareness and aliveness.

- Using "inner resource" practice to find safety and ease in the body.

- Redirecting attention inward as a powerful tool for transformation.

- Connection between feeling "homesick" and bodily disconnection.

- Simple techniques for nervous system regulation.

- The ultimate goal of cultivating ease and lightness by fully engaging with and understanding our emotional landscape. And so much more!

As a designer and certified iRest® yoga nidra teacher, I help people get out of the mind maze and into a life they love from the inside out.

I had my first experience with Yoga Nidra almost a decade ago. Even as I write this, I can feel what a pivotal encounter it was…a Wizard of Oz kind of moment when life shifted from shades of grey to full spectrum color.

Prior to that day, I had slowly, unknowingly set up camp in my head; life had started to feel robotic and lifeless. The daily grind of analyzing, comparing, judging, and overthinking had become my new normal. During and after the yoga nidra class, everything changed…I felt drastically more alive, lit up, and full of sensations that previously had been drowned out by the noise of my mind. All of the sudden I could feel tingling in my fingers, a full body pulsation, and a playfulness that I now know as innate and ever-available.

In awe of its ability to bring me home to myself, I felt called to study and share this transformative practice. As a certified iRest® yoga nidra teacher, I create space to explore our moment to moment experience with wonder and curiosity – gracefully remembering the truth of our wholeness.

In classes and 1:1 sessions, I help people to meet anxiety and pain as messengers.

As we allow our inner landspace to be seen, felt, and heard, we make space for all this “friction” to be digested and begin to move through us naturally. There’s no longer a desperate need to over-analyze… your inner knowing rises to the surface, and the way forward reveals itself.

The practice builds interoception, resilience, and fluency of emotions…with a sensitivity to each person's unique experience and history.

Weaving together her training in iRest, Mindful Schools, and Imagination Yoga, Julie offers practices for both adults and children, in-person and virtually. Whether she's teaching in a 7th grade homeroom, a backyard yurt or an elementary gymnasium, Julie brings her whole heart to the collaborative adventures. Her background in both design and posture therapy informs her creative, body-centered approach to the practice.

Book Julie’s 4-session Embodiment Series or Discover How Embodied You Are With A FREE Online Assessmenthttps://www.withinwonder.com/

And find her collection of kids' meditations on Zenimal and Insight Timer. https://insighttimer.com/within.wonder/

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education, and The Radiance Program at⁠ ⁠www.freeyoursoma.com⁠⁠

How does personal growth connect to the greater evolution of humanity?

In this fascinating episode, I welcome David Knox to explore the link between personal habits, somatic experiences, and collective evolution.

From Darwinian evolution to cosmological perspectives, David offers insights into how our individual evolution can contribute to the larger consciousness of humanity.

Join us as we uncover the power of intention, the impact of our emotional state on outcomes, and how physical release can lead to emotional freedom.

In this episode, David Knox and I discuss:

- The connection between habits, intuition, and somatic experiences in personal and collective evolution.

- Evolution from both a scientific (Darwinian) and cosmological perspective.

- David’s journey of realizing the importance of aligning personal goals with universal evolution.

- The interconnectedness of consciousness and the impact of individual growth on collective human development.

- The holistic view of what it means to be human and how it affects our life experiences.

- The idea that consciousness and intention are integral to the universe and personal evolution.

- The concept of a holographic fractal universe, where each part reflects the whole.

- The importance of individual evolution for the betterment of humanity and the planet.

- How the emotional and mental state behind our actions influences our outcomes.

- Challenges of becoming aware of misalignments in one's life and the courage required to make changes.

And so much more!

David Knox is the creator and host of The Evolutionary Podcast and LiveStream YouTube channel. For decades David studied and experimented with the relationship between spiritual practices and life circumstances. In 2019, looking at the state of the world, David decided it was time to walk away from his corporate career and start talking to people who care about things that matter.

Now David teaches others how to use their holographic, fractal relationship with our consciously evolutionary universe to create happiness, meaning, fulfillment and affluence in their lives, and in doing so, help to evolve the human species.

Follow David on socials:

https://TheEvolutionary.life

https://youtube.com/@theevolutionarylife

https://Instagram.com/theevolutionarylife

https://facebook.com/theevolutionarylife

DM me on Instagram or email at david.knox@theevolutionary.life

Follow Aimee Takaya on:

IG: @aimeetakaya

Facebook: Aimee Takaya

Learn more about Aimee Takaya, Hanna Somatic Education,

and The Radiance Program at www.freeyoursoma.com

What if the stories inside you could help heal your deepest wounds?

In this episode, I host a renowned author, Francesca Lia Block, who takes us through the magical connection between storytelling and healing.

With a blend of poetry, symbolism, and magic realism, Francesca shares how creative writing can be a powerful tool for processing emotions, healing, self-discovery, personal growth, and navigating personal experiences.

In this podcast episode, Francesca Lia Block shares:

- The body-mind connection in storytelling.

- The 12-question framework to combining craft and personal healing.

- The importance of community in the creative process.

- Balancing craft and raw expression: how to navigate, allowing your authentic voice to emerge.

- Overcoming fear and vulnerability and finding the courage to share through writing.

- The healing power of fiction.

- Writing as a somatic practice: incorporating movement and body awareness.

- The evolutionary aspect of storytelling.

- Practical tips for aspiring writers.

- The importance of ongoing projects for maintaining momentum and emotional balance.

And so much more!

Francesca Lia Block, M.F.A., is the author of more than thirty books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories, and poetry and has written screenplay adaptations of her work.

She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award, and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association and from the New York Times Book Review, School Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Her work has been translated into Italian, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Portuguese.

Francesca has also published stories, poems, essays, and interviews in The Los Angeles Times, The L.A. Review of Books, Spin, Nylon, Black Clock, The Fairy Tale Review, and Rattle, among others. In addition to writing, Francesca edits the Lit Angels online journal on Substack and teaches fiction at various places, including UCLA Extension, Antioch University, and privately in Los Angeles, where she was born and raised.

Learn more and reach out:

francesca.block@gmail.com

https://www.francescaliablock.com/about